---
title: "Draft or review a voluntary planning agreement under the EPA Act 1979 (NSW) or equivalent"
url: "https://ailawframework.com/practice/planning-and-environment/draft-or-review-a-planning-agreement-or-development-contribution-deed/australia"
type: "task_jurisdiction_version"
site: "AI Law Framework"
id: "A12-T1-R10-AU"
practice_area: "Planning & Environment"
tier: "yellow"
lawyer_review: "required"
jurisdictions: ["AU"]
last_reviewed: "2026-09-23"
---

# Draft or review a voluntary planning agreement under the EPA Act 1979 (NSW) or equivalent

> Draft a VPA or contribution deed from the term sheet, with public-notice, registration and nexus checks under EPA Act 1979 (NSW) ss 7.4–7.6 or state equivalents.

Canonical page: https://ailawframework.com/practice/planning-and-environment/draft-or-review-a-planning-agreement-or-development-contribution-deed/australia  
Last reviewed: 2026-09-23

Site index for agents: https://ailawframework.com/llms.txt

## Key facts

| Fact | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Practice area | [Planning & Environment](https://ailawframework.com/practice/planning-and-environment.md) |
| Human involvement | Yellow: Lawyer and AI draft together |
| How AI is used | Draft a VPA or contribution deed from the term sheet, with public-notice, registration and nexus checks under EPA Act 1979 (NSW) ss 7.4–7.6 or state equivalents. |
| What the lawyer must review | Check consistency with the NSW DPE VPA Policy and any council VPA policy Check public notice and registration; an unregistered VPA cannot bind successors in title Check contributions, land dedication and works-in-kind are enforceable against nexus Confirm no double-charging with contribution plans Check parties and land against current title searches Get partner sign-off before the client executes |
| Written for | Australia |
| Applies to | [Draft or review a planning agreement or development-contribution deed](https://ailawframework.com/practice/planning-and-environment/draft-or-review-a-planning-agreement-or-development-contribution-deed.md) |

## Checking plan

**Lawyer review required**

The responsible lawyer reviews the work against the instructions, sources and intended use.

- What the AI does: Potential support includes organising research leads and preparing preliminary structure or wording. Confirm the tool’s capability and permitted scope.
- What the lawyer does: Set the scope, verify the evidence, resolve exceptions and approve the final output for its intended use.
- Who reviews: Responsible lawyer with competence in the matter
- Basis: Suggested checking approach based on the task guidance. Complete the assessment for the actual tool, information and jurisdiction.
- Why: The plan reflects the described work and review requirements. Policy colours are not used to determine permission or checking.

## Checks the lawyer makes

1. Review operative clauses in the complete document, including definitions, cross-references, schedules and inconsistencies with the instructions.
2. Obtain and inspect the relevant current official register or search result. Confirm identities, interests and the date and scope of the search.
3. Verify the applicable jurisdiction and the version of each relevant law, rule or instrument in force at the material time.
4. Confirm the output against the client’s instructions and the complete relevant source material, including omissions or contradictions.
5. Resolve exceptions and record the responsible lawyer’s approval of the exact output and intended use.

## Notes

- Confirm the required checking with the responsible lawyer before work starts. The checking approach does not establish permission to use AI.

*Practice guidance for planning and review. Confirm current primary sources and the requirements of the actual matter. This is general information, not legal advice.*